A Kingdom of Priests and a Holy Nation

“In the third month after the sons of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that very day they came into the wilderness of Sinai. 2 When they set out from Rephidim, they came to the wilderness of Sinai and camped in the wilderness; and there Israel camped in front of the mountain. 3 Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, ‘Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob and tell the sons of Israel: 4 “You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to Myself. 5 Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; 6 and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”  These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel’”  (Exodus 19:1-6).

Can you imagine what that must have been like? For centuries, the children of Jacob (Israel) had been kept captive in Egypt. They knew nothing else, no other lifestyle than slavery. For the last generation or two, Hebrew male babies were to be killed at birth because of the prejudice and fear of the government. Not very long before this scene, the people had witnessed the most awesome spectacle ever witnessed—Jehovah’s judgment on the land of Egypt. All of that ended in the stripping of Egypt of all its riches and the complete destruction of its military while these Hebrews had walked across the Red Sea on dry land. What wonders they had seen!

Now, they’ve been cast into a world about which they knew very little. How would they live? How would they and their children survive? Have you ever felt that way? Maybe you’re the young couple now asking those same questions since you have left your parents’ home. Maybe you’re the new parents who have to take that baby home where there’s no nurse who comes when you push the little button who shows you how to nurse or change a diaper. Maybe you’re just you and you’re facing a hostile world, and you don’t have any answers. What do you do? To whom do you turn? I bet you can guess that I’m going to say “to Whom” you should turn.

After witnessing all these wonderful events, these Hebrews were gathered before Mt. Sinai. Moses gets the word from Jehovah Himself. “You tell them that if they will obey Me and keep My covenant (commands), I’ll be their God and they will be My people!” Think about that for a moment. Who else in the universe do you want to say to you, “You are Mine and I am yours!”?  There is really nothing else to say. If you meet the conditions under which this promise is made, you get what was promised!

I know times are tough and the suffering is real. I know that sometimes you look at the world and don’t see any way out. Like someone said, “I not only don’t know the answers…I don’t even know the questions!” Well, let me tell you something. If you’ll keep the covenant of God (and now we live under a new and better covenant, Hebrews 8:6), He will be yours and you will be His and you’ll be part of His kingdom of priests and holy nation (the church). I am so happy to say that God loves you and so do I.

Donnie Bates

The Hope of His Calling

In Ephesians 1:18, Paul says, “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints…” What a prayer! Paul doesn’t pray that his readers will have hope, but that they will see the hope they can have. That is exactly the message that the downtrodden and discouraged need to hear.

Many people have lost (or are losing) hope these days, and with the attitudes of some people, it’s not hard to see why. The core of the Gospel message the apostle Paul preached was the resurrection. In his greatest defense of the resurrection in Scripture, Paul said “If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied” (1 Corinthians 15:19). He was right! If the only things we have to hope for are in this life, why in the world would we subject ourselves to any rules or regulations at all? 

However, we don’t just hope in this life, do we? I know it is hard when you consider going in to work today with the thought that it might be your last because you are going to be fired, laid off, or the plant is going to close. It’s also hard to go to work or school when you know (or feel) that your boss or teacher has it in for you. Maybe a co-worker makes your life miserable. Perhaps there’s trouble in your family that threatens to destroy not just the family’s happiness but even your health. These are painful afflictions, but they can be overcome. 

Remember Paul’s prayer. He prays for you (and so do I, by the way) that the eyes of your heart will be enlightened (opened); that you’ll see the hope you can have. There is a hope associated with the calling of Jesus Christ. If you’re a Christian, you have hope. You might not realize it, and it may not feel like it, but that’s the essence of the prayer; that you will realize it! And something else you can hang your hat (I mean, hope) on is the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. Do you realize that this means God considers you a richly glorious part of His inheritance in you?

Christians have a good life, do we not? No, it might not all be peaches and cream, but it doesn’t have to be. What makes our life so good is that there is a better one on the way! We don’t just hope in Christ in this life only. Many people do pity us, but it is misplaced pity. They don’t need to worry about us because we have hope. So many do not. In giving words of comfort to the Thessalonian church about their dear departed loved ones, Paul said he didn’t want them to grieve as those who don’t have the hope we have will grieve (1 Thessalonians 4:13). We do have hope. Praise Jehovah God!!

I want you to take this hope with you. As you head out into the world, no matter your destination, there is nothing that can separate you from the love of God if you will remain faithful to Him (Romans 8:38, 39). He is yours if you are His. He makes that true because He loves you and so do I.

Donnie Bates